Managing Medical Care
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What Do I Do if My Parent Refuses to Go to The Doctor?
Navigating the Health Care System
Care Management

Is a Geriatric Care Manager Right for Your Family?
Caregivers often need more assistance than they are willing to ask for. Geriatric care managers are a relatively new elder care resource that many may not even be aware of. See if your family could benefit from a GCM's services and learn how to find one.

Do All Elders Need Geriatric Care?
You may feel that adding another doctor to the mix will only complicate matters. However, the opposite is true. Geriatricians specialize in managing multiple disease symptoms, and developing a care plan to address healthcare needs and quality of life.

When POA Isn’t Enough: Other Forms Needed to Act on a Loved One’s Behalf
Power of attorney documents allow caregivers to advocate for their loved ones, but some institutions require additional documentation. See what specific permissions you’ll need to access personal information and make vital decisions.
A Complete Guide to Durable Medical Equipment & Medical Supplies
Sometimes the need for aids is immediately apparent, for example, in the case of a broken hip. Other times the need appears gradually. Be alert to the potential need for an assistive device as seniors try to hide their disabilities.
How Geriatric Care Managers Can Help Busy Caregivers
Geriatric care managers are trained and experienced in several fields related to care management, including nursing, gerontology, social work, or psychology, with a specialized focus on issues related to aging and elder care.
What to Do When Your Elderly Parent Needs Surgery
Deciding to have surgery is a difficult decision. Asking your surgeon these questions may help ease your mind.
Affordable Options for Lab Tests and Medical Imaging
For patients who are uninsured or have high deductibles, lab work and imaging services can be extremely costly. Fortunately, cheaper options are available that use out-of-pocket payment instead of health insurance.
Dealing with Doctors

The Difference Between Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants and Doctors
Doctors are in increasingly short supply, so it's not uncommon for patients to spend more time with physician assistants and nurse practitioners during appointments. Is one of these providers any better or worse than the others?
A Geriatrician’s Opinion on Elders Who Refuse To Visit a Doctor
The first step is to try and understand what is behind your elderly loved one's refusal to go to a doctor.
How to Talk to Your Doctor: A Guide for Caregivers and Elders
Talking about your parents' health means sharing information about how they feel physically, emotionally, and mentally. Knowing how to describe symptoms and bring up other concerns will help you become a partner in your parents' health care.
Doctors Who Bully
If you feel that a doctor is behaving like a bully, either to you or your elderly loved one, you should speak up. Don't just shrug off bad behavior that could be compromising the quality of care your loved one is receiving.
The Hospitalist: A New Kind of Acute Care Physician
Managing a relationship with a hospitalist is similar to managing a relationship with any other new medical professional. However, there are some questions that you can ask a hospitalist, which may make a hospital stay easier and more productive.
Hospital Tips
Hospital Hints for Caregivers and Their Elderly Parents
Make an elderly loved one's planned hospital stay less stressful by preparing for assessment, admission, treatment and discharge. Knowledge of the process and the role of everyone on the care team will lead to better health outcomes.
7 Steps to Take When a Senior is Suddenly Hospitalized
When an elderly loved one winds up in the hospital, things happen so quickly that it can leave family members overwhelmed by their new roles as advocates and caregivers. Take these 7 steps to quickly get organized and better manage their care.

ER, Urgent Care, or Primary Care: Which Should You Choose?
When a senior needs medical attention, consider the level of care they require and the immediacy of the need before deciding where to take them for treatment.
Hospitalization May Increase Rate of Memory Loss in the Elderly
Research suggests that even a short hospital stay could increase a senior's rate of memory decline.
Getting Special Treatment: Senior-Centered Emergency Rooms
The bedlam of a traditional emergency room can make a health emergency worse for an elderly person. But, the growing popularity of geriatric emergency departments is set to revolutionize the way emergency elder care is approached.
Medical Care Information & Facts
Caregiver Tip

Palliative Care: What Is It and How Is It Different from Hospice?
Many people confuse these two kinds of care. While there are many similarities between the two, palliative care is an important part of managing symptoms in seriously ill patients at any stage in their disease.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Get the Facts
As complementary and alternative medicines become more mainstream, misconceptions about what they can and cannot do become more prevalent, too.
Recommended Vaccines for the Elderly
Vaccines the CDC recommends for 6 preventable diseases, along with dosages and scheduling.
Eye, Ear, Teeth Check-ups Are Difficult for Dementia Patients
You are helped into a chair and the doctor covers one of your eyes and asks what letters do you see. What is a letter, you think, and why is he covering my face?

5 Treatments Older Adults May Not Need
Treatments and medications are supposed to make people healthier, but when it comes to medical care for seniors, less is more in most cases.
Preventive Screening for Seniors: Is That Test Really Necessary?
Many seniors consider routine screenings as just that—part of a routine.Researchers conducted a series of in-depth interviews with dozens of older adults, and found that many had never even questioned their doctor about the need for certain screenings.
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